Winter Solstice: A Time to Pause and Reflect

As the season changes from fall to winter, we are invited to pause and take inventory of the year gone by.  It’s an opportunity to let go of what was, rest in what is, and ponder what will be. It’s an opportunity to take time out for restoration of energy, conscious reflection, and utilizing the wisdom we have gained to propel us forward on our journey. 

In this day and age of endless busyness, holiday mayhem, and challenges that may arise, it can be difficult to take the time we need to reflect and honor this time of year the way it is meant to be honored. At the same time, any amount of pausing and reflecting can help us slow down, take inventory, and reset into life’s true meaning and purpose. No time spent in contemplation and working on our inner journey is ever wasted. 

Just as the leaves fall away, what attitudes, behaviors, or thoughts can we allow to simply fall away? What can we let go of that will allow space for a deepening of humility, peace, joy, and happiness to enter? Is it now time to let go of self-pity? Is it time to practice ultimate forgiveness of someone who has occupied too much of your headspace this past year? Is it time to free yourself from a habit that is drawing you away from your ultimate purpose?

As we let go, we also need to take time to reap the harvest of the year. What attitudes, behaviors, and actions have been a light of positive change over the year? In what ways have you cultivated greater peace, satisfaction, and joy? What specific habits are you cultivating that allow you to take time to slow down and reset? What gems of knowledge or experiences are you hanging onto as you move forward into the next year? 

In what ways have the storms and challenges of the year given you lessons you can carry with you into the unknown? What nuggets of wisdom can you rely on when the waves start crashing in? We never know what’s around the corner, but with each challenge we acquire new tools that can help us face the next challenge with more steadiness, wisdom, and tolerance. What new tools have appeared over the year that you’re placing in your toolbox for future use? 

Now for some, it may feel like we will never get out of the storm. We may well be in the midst of one in this very moment where all of these questions are overwhelming and we can’t imagine a life of calmness. We may be feeling beat up, windblown, battered, but we are not defeated. We are still hanging on, clinging to the hope of a brighter future. Even just taking a moment to appreciate that you are still hanging on can be the momentary rest you need to keep fighting, keep moving forward on this journey called life. Any little ways we can find gratitude in what is, can open up to a glimmer of light and hope that this too shall pass. 

If we can take a moment to reflect and open up to answering these questions, this can open us up to a greater perspective to see the growth, the areas in our lives that are going well, and to shine a light on the path that will move us forward in our journey towards self-realization and connection with who we are beyond this material world.